Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-09-24
A Terrible Hurricane TraVerses
Texas.
Crops and Houses BestrOyed-The
Damage More than 81 900, 900.
Great DeStitutiOn and Suffering
AmOnng the HOmeleSSiIn-
habitantS.
BRowSvILLE. TEX, Sept. z

BRowSvILLE. TEX, Sept. %.
A terrific cyclone passed over this section,
Wednesday night, the storm being accompa-
MED by tremendous rainfall which reached
by actual measurement, ten inches. Several
small buildings in the town were blown down
aud three hundred others partially destroyed.
The telegraph wire is badly disorganized.
The total monetary loss is believed to reach
81 600, 900.
The village of Santa Cruz, opposite Browns
vile, was entirely submerged for several
hours. The Rio Grande rose rapidly and
ragged like sea, the back water overiowing
many miles of fertile country. The wind
reached a velocity of so miles an hour blow
a perfect hurricane over two hours. The
floods did almost as much damage as tn
wind. Hardly a tree is left standing in the
vicinity of the city, and several hundred
acres of valuable sugar cane was blown fiat,
Many Mexican families, whose frail
houses were t)ppled over, were cared for by
the citizens and lodged in the public build
ings The extent OF the damage, north and
south and west of here, along the Rio GraHde
is not known.
In Mantamoras dozens of houses of the
better class and l50 to 200 small houses were
are unroofed. In the country on the Amer
ican side of the river incalculable damage
was done. Countless Numbers of cattle and
sheep have been lost. The crops of cotton,
corn and sugar cane are completely de-
stroyed.
AT 8 o'clock Tuesday evening the "north-
er" which had been blowing several days
increased in ierceness with heavy gusts of
rain. In short time hurricane came on
the wind reaching in height storm velocity
of 7S miles. All night the long continued
bowling mingled with the crash of falling
houses, the rending sound of falling trees and
rafting fences as they went over, or the
shouts of the inmates deserving their crumb.
ling residences, or implorDg aid.
Morning dawned on scene of desolation.
Water filled the streets, through which a
roaring north wind drove the rain like great
volleys Of small shot.
At 2.3O p. NJ. the wind lullei almost to a
dead calm until 4.30, when the wind came
from the south. This shows that the vortex
of the hurricane, as in the case of those in
1880 and 1886, passed directly over this sec
| ton.
About 7. NJ. the wind was again violent,
this time from the south, and continued un-
| til this morning, when the hurricane ceased.
| There was a rain fall 10. 40 inches Average
temperature ~ degrees. The velocity of the
wind, while grester than the hurricane of
last year, did not show its force during the
sudden gusts.
The damage in the country outeide the two
cities is incalculable. Countless head of
cattle and sheep were lost, and crops of cot
ton, corn and sugar cane were completely
destroyed The total losses are far beyond a
million.
In Brownville the chief sufferers are the
poor. Between sixty and eighty jsckals, or a
cheaper class OF dwellings, were blown down
and fully three hundred partially unroofed
and rendered uninhabitable. A barge and
steam launch at the ferry landing were sunk.
The boats of the ferry company were saved
with great difficulty. The telegraph wire to
Point Isabel is down and it is not known how
things are there.
| There is great suffering among the poor,
many of whom are without resources. Sher-
if Brito succored many families, still it is
possible to aid only portion of those in
need.
The river is again very high and overflow
| ing its banks. In Matamoras the narrow
streets during the storm were seas of water
from ankle to nearly hip deep. In the city
about a dozen houses of the better class and
one hundred and fifty or two hundred jackals
were prostrated and four or five hundred un.
rooted or shattered.
The unfortunate lagoon district south of
Plaza del Caplla, was again inundated. A
large portion of the houses have fallen. The
water is from knee to waist deep. From
twelve o'clock Tuesday night to yesterday
noon, the police, troops and many citizens
were engaged in saving the inhabitants and
their effects. Women and girls crouched on
their beds in scanty attire. They were
obliged to enter the dark waters in the face
of driving gusts of wind and rain until con
veyed three or four hundred yards to place
of safety. The force of the wind precluded
the use of carriages.
More damage appears to have been done
in the Freeport district than in that toward
the San Fernando gate or Casa Mats. The
public school buildings are full of refugees
and the authorities are doing all in their pow
er for them. Among the merchants their
goods were generally damaged by water.
The suffering in the town and country is
generally severe. At the railroad station
several sheds were blown down and the line
is reported inundated. At several points
near Arrieros Park, considerable damage was
| done